Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The price varies with the season. All cabins have their own full head (bathroom) with a shower. Food and a chef can be included, but many people choose to do their own provisioning and cooking.

How do I get there?

PASSPORT – is it current? check this ahead of time! DO NOT forget it! (amazing how many people do forget their passport)

Traveling to the BVI’s: You can either fly thru San Juan (SJU) to Beef Island, Tortola (EIS) or fly to St. Thomas (STT) and take the ferry to Tortola and a taxi to the charter base. Ask us which taxi to look for!!

If you are arriving through St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands you can catch the ferry from downtown St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie) or the Eastern end of St. Thomas (Red Hook). Ferry schedules do vary slightly, so be sure check this Ferry Schedule link to view the departure/arrival schedules for each ferry service. Currently, the last ferry leaves Charlotte Amalie (Road Town Fast Ferry) directly to Road Town at 4:15pm, arriving in Road Town at 5:05pm. Departures from Red Hook (Native Son Ferry) are at 5:00pm to Road Town, arriving at approx 5:45pm. The taxi time from the airport to downtown Charlotte Amalie is approximately 10 minutes, and to Red Hook approximately 40 minutes. There is a $10 Environmental Fee that is paid after Customs in Roadtown. Also on the ferry return there is a departure tax from Tortola $20 pp.

On the last day, you can either catch a flight home that morning/afternoon or extend your stay at one of the many fabulous resorts on Tortola or St. Thomas.

Credit Card and cash

In the British Virgin Islands, most businesses and restaurants take Visa/Mastercard but do not take American Express.

Cash – safe to bring as much as you feel comfortable with. US dollars is the currency of the BVI.

ATMs – located in Roadtown, Tortola, Beef Island airport (sometimes) as well as a few other places on Tortola. VIrgin Gorda – there is one at the bank in Spanish Town

The Chef will take care of the provisions and basic bar. We will send out a food preference sheet about a month before your charter. The most important part is to let us know about any food allergies and special events, i.e. birthdays

If we are sailing without a Chef, how do we provision the boat with food for the galley?

You will always have the opportunity daily to eat at beach bars, restaurants, etc, and if you want to make meals on the boat, there is a full galley (kitchen) available. You will want to collaborate a bit on the order since we have somewhat limited space when it comes to refrigerated and frozen items. And we don’t want to have 6 dozen eggs at a time. Initial provisioning is easiest done online with Riteway. Riteway also has liquor and wine available. Other beverages are also available at Tico Liquors . Both stores will deliver the orders to the boat after you are on board. We can re-provision a few of days into the trip and along the way.
When placing an order, you will need some basic provisions such as extra kitchen trash bags and paper towels. Feel free to stuff your luggage with things you like for snacks, or things like spices, real ground peanut butter, tuna fish packets, a preferred cereal, a favorite brand of coffee or tea, flat bread for making wraps, etc. And any little boxes of things you like to eat, such as pasta, quinoa, rice, etc. Those are easy to pack and easy to make.

The boat will have a full tank of water for drinking, which is filtered and tastes fine. Some people prefer to buy gallon jugs of water and those are available at all the markets.

If you would like to order from a more high-end place than Riteway grocery store, this is an option:

Captain’s Kitchen – Our good friend, Capt. Fiona O’Connor, has a wonderful restaurant in Road Town. They also specialize in catering/provisioning to yachts in the BVI. We highly recommend their food and services!!

What kind of water toys can we rent?

The following company offers a variety of water toys and will deliver to your sailboat. Please contact them directly or visit their website if you wish to place an order.

The weather year-round in the BVI is very close to perfect, but brief showers do occur and thunderstorms are quite rare. The sun of course shines all year round! For swimming, snorkeling and diving, the sea is warm throughout the year. From December to April the sea temperature is around 78 °F and 84 °F from May to November.

What to Pack?

Everyone always overpacks!! Bring about half of what you think you need in a soft sided bag. Our repeat clients come back with just a carry on!

1. Swimsuits of course….Bring as many or few as you would like, you will spend most of your time in these.2. A few light long sleeve shirts in case your skin in not sun friendly3. A light windbreaker or jacket in case of a cool breezy evening4. One nice pair of clothes for an evening off the boat.

If your party would like to come to the dinner table “dressed to impress” more often, then feel free to bring some extras. (However, P.J’s at the breakfast table and tank tops at the dinner table are always accepted).

5. Cover ups for the ladies and light t-shirts for the guys.

NOTE: If you are not on the boat or at the beach, the locals consider it an insult to their culture if women aren’t wearing something over their swim suit, or if a man is shirtless.

6. Hat (preferably one that will stay on in the wind)7. Sunglasses preferably polarized (maybe a cheap back up pair too)8. Sandals. You won’t need them often, but its good to avoid dock splinters or glass when you go ashore.

9. A compact pair of shoes for the occasional hike.

A secure pair of flip flops are usually sufficient for a light trail from beach to beach. However, if you are an avid hiker and would like to really stretch those legs, bringing a pair of sneakers or more secure sandals wouldn’t be a bad idea.

10. Personal Toiletries.

11. Daily prescriptions, medicine or vitamins.

Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you shouldn’t maintain your normal routines. Taking care of your body is important when traveling, especially when you will be spending so much time in the sun!

If you are concerned about being sea sick, please bring whatever medication works best for you.

Gratuity

Your crew (skipper and chef) will be putting long hours to help you have the best vacation ever. It is customary to leave a gratuity of 10-20% at your discretion. This can be in cash or Venmo before you depart.